Artist's impression of the proposed new Woolmead development in Farnham

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A complete redevelopment of Farnham’s ‘ugly’ Woolmead complex looks set to take place, after developer F&C Reit finally revealed its plans for the site last week.

The long-lamented 1960s buildings will be demolished and replaced with an ‘attractive and high-quality’ mixed scheme of retail and residential units, subject to the granting of planning permission by Waverley Borough Council, which is encouraging the redevelopment.

While the scheme has been welcomed by civic leaders, residents living in the Woolmead have expressed surprise at the ambition of the plans, after correspondence from the developer led them to think their flats would remain intact.

An F&C Reit spokesman said: “The existing Woolmead site lacks the quality associated with Farnham and the adjoining conservation area.

“The buildings along East Street lack civic presence.

“Both East Street and the Woolmead are more a thoroughfare than a destination, offering poor-quality retail.

“The current configuration of the Woolmead is no longer viable and will remain under-utilised unless redeveloped.”

'Potentially very good news'

The proposed retail units will focus around an ‘anchor store’, which the spokesman said would be a national retailer.

The estimated 100 residential units would be made up of one, two and three-bed ‘quality’ homes.

The developer also proposed closing down the existing subway, which it said was under-used and unsafe.

Surrey County Council Chairman and Farnham South councillor David Munro described the plans as ‘potentially very good news’.

“Provided the outline drawings in the exhibition taking place now at the Woolmead are representative of what will eventually be built, it is certainly much better looking than what’s there at the moment,” he said.

Cllr Munro also encouraged the architects to work alongside those of the proposed Brightwells development, on the other side of East Street, to make sure the two sites complement each other.

Artist's impression of proposed new Woolmead site in FarnhamThe proposals have now been submitted to the council and other interested bodies for feedback, ahead of a formal application for planning permission.

The redevelopment, however, will leave current tenants in need of new accommodation.

One of them, Myles Harfield, said F&C Reit had ‘every right’ to push ahead with the plans, but questioned the need for the secrecy which until last week had led him and his neighbours to believe their homes would not be demolished.

“They said that my tenancy would not be affected,” he said.

“Well, I’m on a rolling one-month tenancy, which I suppose technically means they are not going to knock it down for at least a month, which isn’t the way most people would have read that sentence. I can’t understand why they couldn’t tell us anything before last week."